Some people may fall asleep worried about fitful dreams or early alarm clocks, but others have a more dramatic fear: that they won’t wake up if their blood sugar gets too low at night.

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that hits while you sleep can be a serious problem, says the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Researchers have found that sleep can interfere with a body’s normal response to hypoglycemia.

Normally, when you have a low blood sugar, your body releases hormones that raise the blood sugar. Epinephrine (or adrenaline) is probably the most important of these chemicals.

While you sleep, however, the epinephrine response to hypoglycemia can be a lot lower than when you’re awake, which might be why you don’t wake up during the night if your blood sugar drops too low, says the ADA.

If you think you're experiencing hypoglycemia during the night, the ADA recommends setting your alarm clock for 3 a.m. so you can check your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is below 65 mg/dl, lower your nighttime insulin dose or take a bedtime snack to prevent hypoglycemia. You might also be able to change the kind of insulin you take to reduce nighttime low blood sugars.

Reprinted from 101 Tips for Simplifying Diabetes by the University of New Mexico Diabetes Care Team. Copyright by the American Diabetes Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.